A BURNLEY-based priest is celebrating becoming a published author at the age of 75.

Canon Richard Spurin has spent most of his career working in remote areas of Kenya and now lives in Rose Hill Avenue, Burnley.

His book, 30 Days in Kenya, charts the time he spent there during 30 days of the Iraq War earlier this year.

The retired vicar is the chairman of the Friends of Sikinga, a charity set up to improve understanding between different cultures and religions in a rural area of the east-African country. He hopes proceeds from the book will help him to spend more time in Kenya, which he still visits regularly in between working at Hapton and Wellfield Schools.

Canon Spurin first went to Kenya in 1961 and was appointed Chaplain to the country's first African Bishop, the Right Rev Festo Olang.

He went on to become a Rural Dean in a remote area which grew into four dioceses.

On his return to England he was a vicar in Surrey, before moving to Burnley to be close to his daughter, a methodist minister.

Canon Spurin said: "Despite changes people are getting even poorer. The book is a personal account of my time in Kenya which coincided with the war in Iraq and it is also very political."

The book includes Jewish Synagogue readings alongside the thoughts of a Christian Minister travelling in a country which is one third Muslim.

Canon Spurin said: "I am very much in favour of friendship between religions and I don't agree that we do not need to talk to each other."